For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. - 2 Timothy 4:3

Whenever you go to a doctor for your annual check-up, he or she will often begin to poke, prod, and press various places, all the while asking, “Does this hurt?” Now if you cry out in pain, one of two things has happened. Either the doctor has pushed too hard, without the right sensitivity. Or, more likely, there’s something wrong, and the doctor will say, “We’d better do some more tests!”

This is often true when pastors preach on touchy subjects, and certain members cry out in discomfort, criticizing the message and the messenger. Either the pastor has pushed too hard, which is possible. Or perhaps there’s something wrong underneath the surface.

Today’s Scripture is clear that there will come a time when people will stop putting up with sound doctrine. They’ll want to hear what makes them feel good instead of the truth. They’ll prefer living under the illusion that things are okay with them instead of discovering the truth that there is something very wrong underneath the surface.

The Bible is a tool that the Great Physician uses to poke and prod in order to identify areas of concern in our lives. So the next time you read Scripture or hear teaching that makes you uncomfortable, ask yourself if the pressure is too high, or if maybe there is something under the surface that needs to be checked out.

Prayer Challenge

Ask God to help you discern if there are any areas of your life where you have problems under the surface. Pray that He would give you the resolve to react appropriately when the “prodding” hurts!